Skills in Demand

With an English degree, you can do just about anything. An education in English enables you to read closely and critically, to think analytically, to write and communicate, to weigh values, and to understand different peoples and cultures.

All of these skills are highly sought after by employers, making English one of the most versatile and desirable degrees you can earn.

Flexible & Personalized

Our graduate programs strike a crucial balance by combining a generalist vision with a flexible accommodation of individual interests. We create a graduate community where scholarly, creative, pedagogic, and outreach or activist endeavors can flourish.

Our graduate students also take significant part in academic and community endeavors, working at the forefront of local, regional, and national events.

Possibilities

Bestselling author Wiley Cash's debut novel, "A Land More Kind than Home," began as a thesis project when he was a doctoral student at UL Lafayette. Now, it's been named a New York Times Notable Book.

Begin your journey at UL Lafayette — you never know where it'll bring you.

Department of English

Welcome to the English Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette!

English Studies

We offer a rich history of the study of English dating back to the University’s beginnings over 100 years ago. Today, we offer programs and courses in English at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level. Come study the many dimensions of language and literature with us!

Our engaged faculty and staff provide a great environment to learn, work, and teach in. Our faculty’s varied interests include everything from literature to linguistics, folklore to film, creative writing to cultural studies, rhetoric to Renaissance art. We value a wide-range of research interests because we appreciate the importance of research in the past and the present.

Undergraduate

Our B.A. in English is a flexible program designed to give you the opportunity to follow your course interests, especially at the upper-level. Up to 25% of the curriculum courses are slotted as electives so you really have an opportunity to tailor your program to your own personal and career interests.

Our Mission

The mission of the English program is to graduate students who think critically and creatively, appreciate the diversity of human expression, and communicate complex ideas effectively to a variety of audiences. The program promotes a commitment to ongoing learning and research, community engagement, and equity and inclusivity. The English program prepares students to be reflective learners who can pursue advanced degrees, thrive in professional roles, and enrich society.

View our Undergraduate Programs

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Graduate

We offer English degrees at the M.A. and Ph.D. level. Our program is a literary generalist one, ensuring our graduates opting for academic careers are qualified to teach in a number of areas. However, students have flexibility in designing their course of study through a variety of concentrations: